Expanded Low-Power Mode in watchOS 9 Will Work With More Apps and Features

2022.04.12 2 min read

watchOS 9 will feature a new power-saving mode that will let users use an Apple Watch and its apps and features without taking up a significant amount of battery life, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported today.

Currently, the Apple Watch features “Power Reserve” mode, which greatly limits Apple Watch functionality to only show users the time. With watchOS 9, Apple is looking to port over Low Power Mode from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, letting users use apps and features while using less battery life.

For watchOS 9, Apple also is planning a new low-power mode that is designed to let its smartwatch run some apps and features without using as much battery life. Currently, Apple Watches in low-power mode — known on the device as Power Reserve — can only access the time. The company is also planning to refresh many of its built-in watch faces currently shipping with the device. The added new feature in watchOS 9 is part of Apple’s overall efforts to improve battery life on the Apple Watch, which has remained mainly stagnant over the years.

watchOS 9 will also include a new detection method for atrial fibrillation called “burden,” which tracks how long an individual has been in a state of atrial fibrillation, according to Bloomberg. Apple will preview iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, and watchOS 9 during WWDC from June 6 through June 10.

Related Roundup: watchOS 8

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